Give with Art Therapy in Mind

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The mission of Creative Grounds DC is to provide a welcoming community space for teaching, producing, and showcasing art while serving ethically sourced coffee and food goods from emerging artists and food and beverage merchants.

Our goal at the outset was to create a hybrid gallery/café, a place to enjoy dynamic exhibitions of local art, create art and commune over coffee and good eats.  We would become a gathering place for art lovers, creatives, and coffee enthusiasts from all backgrounds and ages. In addition, we would serve and support artists by providing studio rental, exhibition space, teaching artists opportunities, and greater exposure.  

We wanted to do these things because of the prohibitively expensive cost of studio space and limited exhibition opportunities for emerging artists. And, over the last year, we have had the great privilege and honor of showcasing the work of both nationally recognized artists and emerging artists, some of whom included high school students and underrepresented groups in the art world. Our approach to this work is premised upon our desire to cultivate and nurture community; and what better way to accomplish this end than by supporting the arts and culture sectors, which I might add, is vital for economic development and improved quality of life. 

But our mission does not stop there;  we are also proud to work with food vendors from micro-enterprise training programs, food kitchens, and other cottage industries. Worth noting is our partnership with specialty coffee roasters that ensure that farmers and their environments are protected and nurtured. At our core, we are a business dedicated to supporting small minority-owned businesses, socially conscious enterprises and creating a space where all feel welcomed.

We believe that our small but mighty team of six will continue to realize the goal and importance of cultivating and nurturing community. I am not sure we will ever be able to truly articulate what the past year has meant for each of us, for the business, and the community we serve. Still, we can say with 100% certainty that the arts has a long history of cultivating spaces for dialogue and healing. The artist, Wilsar featured in the video above, alluded to the practice of art as revelatory and healing creating spaces or fissures in otherwise closed-off parts of one's mind and body.  It is this experience that we hope to continue through this project, Art Therapy on My Mind. 

Over the next year, we will focus on identifying and supporting local women artists in what will be an exploration of affirmations of discourse, healing, and community. We ask that you donate to this campaign to cover the costs of the artist's supplies, labor, and output, including publications, exhibitions, and performances.  We can heal together.

 Thank you for taking the time to learn about Creative Grounds DC and our most recent project, Art Therapy on My Mind. 

If you are interested in investing in our growth or to become a participating artist, please send Asmara an email at [email protected].